Flexible containers for use in the medical field to process or store blood and tissue are well known. These containers are typically "lay flat" bags, formed by heat sealing flat sheets of medical grade plastic material together, with access ports, about their peripheral edges. These bags are ideally suited for many uses in the medical field.
Still, the opposite sheets of flexible plastic that make up the walls of these bag are subject to non-uniform deformation during use. That is, the sheeting deforms non-uniformly depending upon the orientation of the bags and the location of materials within the bags, so that one area of the bag will have a different geometry than another. For example, the bottom of the bag, in which the materials naturally accumulate by gravity, will be wider than the top of the bag, which is normally free of materials. This disparity in the distribution of stress can lead to localized failures and leaks. Because of the non-uniform deformation, these bags are also not well suited for measuring precise fluid volumes.
One objective of the invention is to provide a container having a three-dimensional geometry, when empty, that does not significantly change after materials are added to the container.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a container that combines a uniform three-dimensional geometry with flexibility.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a flexible, three-dimensional container that is assembled in a way that imparts durability and strength to resist failure or fatigue when used as intended.
Still another objective of the invention is provide a flexible, three-dimensional container that can be use for precise fluid volume measurement.